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How to Dual Wield in Elden Ring

Wondering how to Dual Wield in Elden Ring? Dual wielding is a returning mechanic from previous FromSoftware games. Follow this guide to dual wield and power stance in the Elden Ring.

How to Dual Wield in Elden Ring

Elden Ring gives players a wide range of weapons to choose from best suited to their playstyles. You can dual wield weapons by equipping armaments in both right and left hand weapon slots. There is a specific mechanic in Elden Ring for dual wielding the same class of weapons called “Power Stancing” which is a returning mechanic from Dark Souls 2.

Dual wielding allows you to equip weapons on both hands and take advantage of both weapons at the same time. You can equip every armament on your left hand that you can do on your right hand. However, there is a difference between power stancing and dual wielding.

You can either dual wield by equipping different classes of weapons on each hand such as a greatsword in right and a straight sword in left hand or you can equip straight swords in both hands which is called power stancing and will give the weapons an additional moveset.

Why Do Players Need to Dual Wield?

Dual wielding has various advantages for almost all types of playstyles. It gives you additional move sets when you power stance weapons of the same category.  Dual wielding can deal huge amounts of damage if you have applied status effects to your weapons such as bleed. Instead of taking multiple hits you can now bleed enemies a lot quicker than before.

How to Dual Wield in Elden Ring

There are no stat requirements to dual wield weapons and it can drastically increase your damage with the correct build, here is how you can dual wield in Elden Ring 

1. Dual Wielding

You can bind three pieces of your equipment to either hand at this time and cycle through them by pressing the right and left D-pad button on your controller. You can have a great sword in your right hand and a shield, magic staff, or seal in your left hand, which is normally what most players will have equipped.

How to Dual Wield in Elden Ring

Instead of equipping shields, staves, and seals you can equip another weapon of your choice. If the equipped weapons are from different classes of weapons, then you will not take advantage of the Power Stance mechanic. When you are dual wielding, you can only do weapon skills and heavy attack with the weapon in your right hand.

How to Dual Wield in Elden Ring

While dual wielding weapons of different types, when you press R1/RB you will perform a light attack with the weapon in your right hand. Pressing L1/LB will allow you to attack with the weapon in your left hand. You also cannot perform heavy attacks or weapon skills of the weapon in your left hand unless you two-hand the weapon in your left hand.

2. Power Stancing

Players can also do power stance while dual wielding weapons. If you equip weapons from the same class in both your left and right hand. Their move set will bind together, and you will unlock new attack moves which you cannot perform with one weapon. Power stancing increases damage as both weapons are hitting the target at the same time. 

How to Dual Wield in Elden Ring

You can only power stance with the weapons in the same class such that if you have equipped Curved Sword in your right hand, you will have to equip another weapon from Curved Sword class to power stance. Same principle can be applied to all the weapons in the game. 

While power stancing you can press L1 / LB to enter power stance move set and continue pressing it to complete the combo. You can also press R1 / RB on your controller, but this will only attack with the weapon in your right hand. You can still perform the weapon skill of the weapon equipped in your right hand by pressing L2 / LT. 

How to Dual Wield in Elden Ring

Power stancing is a very powerful mechanic in the Elden Ring. It can make a tough fight a lot easier as you do not only do additional damage but also it makes it easier to break enemies poise. 

While there are certain advantages to dual wielding weapons. It leaves the players completely open to enemy attacks. You can not block attacks as you do not have any shield equipped. You also can not parry your opponents. If you are good at dodging then the damage dealt to enemies is worth the trade of getting a few hits on you.

Looking for more Elden Ring guides? Here are some of our other guides for the game:

Elden Ring is available to play on Steam here.